#1 - Ready for your constant state of celebration

[Ansamcw]

Yup for our frinds going to the cocnert tonight...Couchie and bonniemeadow.. Have fun in your party and the concert...

I hope we can get a recap or two!!!

[LuvTugs]

I'm looking forward to reading any and all recaps..the more details the better!

I want to make sure that what I sing represents something that I know something about and I feel.

This quote from the Jam Music article just makes me shake my head and hear the verses of TRD in my head. He's an enigma! But I love him!

bottlecap- I wanted so much for your story to make it's way to my dreams last night. But ..darn it! I had a dream about Dick Cheney and something involving a rumble at a banquet dinner..wtf!

I just have to EEEE!!! at the thought of being on the same page as buzztechie! Photographer extraordinaire! My Photobuckets are bursting at the seams with all of your delicious photos. It feels great to finally say Thank YOU!

Downloaded Spot's Portland clack last night. Jingle Bells is so much fun to watch. I would have preferred Clay be in the front where I can see his pants..um..I mean... see his face better.

And... Finger. Snapping. Clay. Is. Hawt! If he'd snap his fingers at me..I'd come a runnin..yup..I shore would.

[bonniemeadow]

Just wanted to drop in and say that I had a great time at the Oakland concert and pre-party tonight. I'll try to do an actual recap later when my mental faculties are in order and I'm not so tired, but for now I'll just say that the show was really magical. Clay was gorgeous, and his voice was incredible. I wish this weren't my one and only concert of this tour.

Edited November 9, 2005 by bonniemeadow

[Couch Tomato]

Hey everybody...I survived. Not Clay. But hosting my first pre-party..damn I've gone to twenty something of these things and now I know how much work they are. I hope everybody had a good time.

You won't be seeing double I posted this at the CH also. I don't normally do that but how many ways can I say, I love Clay Aiken. Oh...yeah I know ..i can go on and on and on.

What struck me most tonight is how wonderful he sounded. The voice is what I came for and it's why I stay - that amazing instrument. And there is nothing better than the one two punch of Don't Save it All for Xmas Day and Good News. And hopefully when I'm attending JNT10, he will still be saving the best for last.

I guess others who have seen it before and then tonight will have to explain things to me..maybe something was different. I do believe some of the staging tonight was due to the small stage. I never lost sight of Clay. He was right there in front of me all night. He was the heart and soul of everything. Ya'll had me skeeeered.

As for the whole production - I loved it. There were so many little touches. I found it sentimental, for sure, but not cheesy. I thought there would be more cheese. Hell I wouldn't have minded more cheese. I'm as cynical as they come but when it comes to Clay that cynicism drains away. Those wanting Clay to write a song so you can know what's on his mind - I say listen. He has told us time and again in a variety of ways. Perhaps what he has to say isn't what you want to hear. But I think when he finally writes that song it will not be so different from what he has been saying to us for the last 3 years.

I'm glad Clay wasn't afraid to do something different. He fascinates me. I'm curious to know what he has in store. He will not always win everyone over. That's what happens when you take risks. Some folks will snicker. Others will be disappointed. But he has to go with his gut. Someone brought up the fact that he is an old soul. I feel like he was born about 40 years too late. He belongs in generations past. But I'm glad he's in the here and now.

I want to thank everyone who attended the party tonight. We had a inter board party tonight with folks from all the boards laughing and eating and enjoying Clay together. In addition to all that -- WFI got a healthy dose of supplies for the upcoming Christmas season and I will be sending almost 1000 to BeadForLife. As my mom said... those Clay fans are good people!!

I bought 3 cakes for the party but they never cut into the smaller one with Clay's beautiful face all over it. So unfortunately I had to bring it home. heee. I guess I should go to bed...I need to get up in 3 hours for work!

[ldyjocelyn]

bonniemeadow and Couch Tomato -- sounds like you had a wonderful show and a wonderful time. I love the fact that the preparty was an interboard thing...because, when it all boils down, we're ALL Clay Aiken fans. Period.

And couchie -- your review brought a big old smile to my face. ITA with the "old soul" assessment, but I too am glad he's here for us in this time period, and I look forward to following him for years to come.

[bottlecap]

EEEEEEE! for Couch Tomato and bonniemeadow having such a great time at Oakland! [bottlecap adds to her To Do List: Write "I am not at all jealous of the JNT05 concert goers" 500 times.]

The Clack is so wonderful this time around. How can that man look so beautiful, ethereal, and positively otherworldly when he sings "Good News"? Quiana, Jacob, and Angela's harmonies are so lovely. I can't image seeing it live, and not breaking down into tears.

Sniff.

After watching other Clack, I have added a couple of new Clay moves to my repertoire. Besides the signature shirt tug and the vintage jacket flip, I am trying to perfect the "Flipping the Horse's Reins" wrist thing. Right now, I think I would be lucky to get the horse to even move, much less break into a festive trot. I am also trying to get the DSIAFCD "Oh, Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh" knee bend thing down, but I need to study the footage a little more to get the proper angle to put my feet. Good thing there aren't security cameras in the elevators at my office.

Luckily, Clay's moves are a little easier to replicate than Beyonce's. I have never been able to master the booty shake - I think I lack the appropriate flexibility in my lower back. Maybe that was TMI?

______________________

eta: I'm dyin' here. Checked ATCA for spot's Oakland "Christmas Serenade" video [What. I hadn't watched that part of the show yet, and I was reading that that particular version was very picturesque.] Anyway, how evil is she to label a clip "WhippingItOut"? ChokeSnortCough

Edited November 9, 2005 by bottlecap

[bottlecap]

More cryptic album comments in an interview from the North County Times in San Diego:

Q: Are you working on a new album?

A: Yes, every chance I've had this year, I've tried to get into the studio. We're looking at getting an album out next year. With my first album (the multiplatinum-selling "Measure of a Man"), I had no time to put it together and just rushed it out. But I've been enjoying taking my time with this one. We've found a lot of different stuff and the big quandary now is what type of album it will be. I'm not sure if it'll be pop, traditional or if it will have a theme. But I think it'll be along the same lines musically as "Measure of a Man."

Traditonal what, exactly? Pop? Rockabilly? Bluegrass? Southern Gospel? Big Band? Barbershop? Penguin mating tunes? Somebody needs to pin this guy down a little more.

[Ansamcw]

Hee...Bottlecap are you getting ready to be an Aiken impresonator in your next clay fan get together?

Great recap as always COuchie...and Bonniemeadow looking forward to your impressions.

about the CD...I think I will give up speculating on it...so many little hints...mongolian Polka, Mexican lovesongs...traditional...as long as BFM and TRD is there I will be happy.

[bonniemeadow]

I went back to work today in a post-concert glow after having seen the JN2005 in Oakland last night, and several of my co-workers remarked to me that I seemed like I was in much better spirits than usual. I guess I’ve been stressed out and rather grumpy at work lately, so my co-workers wanted to know if anything special happened to put me in such a great mood. So I told them the truth…I told them that I had a wonderful date last night. *g* And it was indeed full of wonder. Wonder and joy.

So, for anyone who’s interested, here is how my date went…

Pre-Concert Party

I’ve been a “connected” internet fan for quite a while now, but I’ve remained mostly on the sidelines and never really became a part of any particular fan community. I’m also rather shy and introverted in real life, so it was a really big step for me to attend the pre-concert party where I did not know a single soul. I had decided that it was time I made an effort to step in from the sidelines a little bit and meet some of the people who made this fandom so special and unique. I don’t have any RL friends who share my, um, enthusiasm for the skinny white boy with the big voice, so I was excited about finally meeting some like-minded folks with the same hobby.

I ended up having a really fun time at the party and got to chat at length with several other fans over dinner. It was so great to be able to share my Clay-related experiences (like seeing him live 8 times) without drawing looks of shock and bewilderment. I have to give props to Couch Tomato and the rest of the party planning committee for putting on such a great event. I can’t imagine the amount of time and effort it must have taken to organize and pull off the whole thing. By the way, the food at that place was delicious!

I actually introduced myself to Couch Tomato towards the end of the party, but I have no idea if she remembers me. I’m sure she was quite the busy lady during the evening! Anyway, couchie, if you happen to recall a short Asian-American woman in a red top and long black skirt who approached you after the raffles were done, that was me!

The Concert

I can’t describe how excited I was to see Clay perform at the breathtakingly beautiful Paramount Theater in Oakland. I had been to the venue once before to see another show this past summer, and ever since then I have been dreaming of how awesome it would be if Clay appeared there. And what do you know, his agent books him at the Paramount for the JN2005. EEEEE!

Once inside the venue, I made my way to the crowded merchandise stand where I stood seemingly forever in line until I got my program, mug, keychain, and limited edition ornament. The program is just...gah. After making my purhcases, I settled into my seat in the 12th row of the far left orchestra section.

The show itself moved me so very much. It’s hard for me to know exactly what to say about it. I’m not much of a details person and tend to get into a Clay fog during live concert experiences, so I can only give my impressions of the show in its totality and of certain things that stood out to me. I hadn’t watched or heard any clack prior to my concert, so I was completely unspoiled. But I knew that the show was going to be special from the opening moments when Clay walked out in his gorgeous white suit and made the snow fall by lifting his hands to the sky.

So much of the show made me feel like I was transported to another time and place – I almost felt as if I were watching a classic Hollywood film from the 40s or 50s. Old soul is right. There were so many special moments throughout the production. One of my favorites was the Christmas Serenade flashback dance sequence, during which I actually found myself placing my hand over my heart and choking back a tear. Yes, I’m sentimental. Another favorite scene and delightful surprise was the jazzy Jingle Bells number. Who knew Jingle Bells could be hot? I just loved the use of dancers in this number and in so many other numbers during the first act. And then there’s Celebrate Me Home. What can I say that hasn’t already been said? The many different elements of the whole show -- the music, the dialogue, the characters, the dancers, the lighting effects -- seemed to work together well.

But at the center of all the production and activity was Clay in his ethereal beauty and golden voice. To me, it felt like his musical performances were actually the central focus of the show, with the scripted scenes serving to tie the songs together and illustrate their meaning, rather than the other way around. Now, this perception could be due to my fangirly inclination of being enraptured by Clay’s presence no matter what, but it definitely felt like Clay’s character and vocal performances were front and center over everything else throughout the show. And what incredible vocal performances they were. My goodness, his voice was amazing.

One of the things I loved was the look of pride and paternal-like joy on Clay’s guardian angel character’s face as he watched over and guided the actions of Beverly, Tommy, and the other people in the story. It made me think about how much pride and joy that Clay himself must be feeling while watching his creation come to life on stage. The guardian angel and the artist are alike in many ways. I’m so glad that he went out on a limb like this to show us his heart.

Edited November 10, 2005 by bonniemeadow

[bottlecap]

Big hugs to bonniemeadow - what a wonderful recap! I love hearing not only the show details, but how the music and performances made you feel. Hang on to that post-Clay glow as long as you can. What an experience to remember and treasure, and how much fun is it to connect to other squealing fangirls in real life?

_________________

I watched some black suit / white suit video back to back last night. The white suits definitely make a much stronger visual impact, so in my opinion, that was an excellent change. In other wardrobe news, I want Quiana's white brocade jacket and Angela's black velvet pantsuit. Both the women look terrific. And so does Jacob, in his white sweater, and then black suit with the olive tie. His shoulders are not quite Clay-caliber, but he's looking good.

Nagging question: Why is Beverly the only character with the strong southern accent? Is Tommy a transplanted Yankee, and what about her son? I guess it's tough enough for John to get his speech out without trying to do an accent.

[ldyjocelyn]

Bonniemeadow -- thank you for your recap. I've now got a sappy grin on my face, because I can feel your joy in seeing this show. BTW, if you want to call the FCA "home" -- well, welcome neighbor.

I watched some black suit / white suit video back to back last night.  The white suits definitely make a much stronger visual impact, so in my opinion, that was an excellent change.  In other wardrobe news, I want Quiana's white brocade jacket and Angela's black velvet pantsuit.  Both the women look terrific.  And so does Jacob, in his white sweater, and then black suit with the olive tie.  His shoulders are not quite Clay-caliber, but he's looking good.

I agree that the white suit makes a much more interesting visual. I love a man in black (even Johnny Cash, hee), but the white suit makes Clay simply luminous. He's so stunning.

I think Angela looks faboo -- both the black and white outfits. Quiana is just simply so joyous all the time, I can't help but smile at her. Jacob is looking very good too -- the contrast of his dark coloring with the white sweater is very nice.

Shoot, I want to see more than one of this show. And it's coming up fast! Less than 2 weeks! EEEEEEE!

[Ansamcw]

Bonniemeadow...love your recap...I am so happy you were able to go to the pre-concert party...I was very apprehensive too during my first one. I had a mixed reaction about it but I think its because I arrived so late it was difficult to get into any conversation with strangers. But it was wonderful once I found an internet friend...shelleyC to gab with.

I love your description of the show. It really is so reminiscent of old musicals...very colorful and entertaining. Thank you so much for sharing your impressions.

hee bottlecap t is strange cos the little boy is from NC too. I guess he didn;t develop accent. Maybe they were not from the south originally. But yeah...I wouldn't want John to try and stretch his acting muscle too much...

[diamondjake2001]

Your recap was wonderful bonniemeadow. I think you understood what Clay was trying to do with the scripted portions of the show. He said in (I think the San Diego) interview that he purposefully wrote the script to tie the songs together. I'm sure he added some songs to fit the 'plot' but I don't know that for certain. Regardless, how could he not be the focal point? And while I usually don't like white, I have to say that all 4 of them look fantastic. What I want to know is how did Quiana & Angela find white outfits that look incredible in 1 - ONE day.

hee bottlecap t is strange cos the little boy is from NC too. I guess he didn;t develop accent. Maybe they were not from the south originally.  But yeah...I wouldn't want John to try and stretch his acting muscle too much...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am amused by the accents, also. Though Ms. Lawrence was not born in the South, the program says she is "Yankee by birth, Southern by the Grace of God" (Which for our Canadian friends is an old favorite Southern saying. The program also says that Gregory was recently Tom of Warwick in Camelot & was Tosca for the Opera Company of North Carolina. He also speaks French fluently. Sounds like he has been classically trained which would explain the lack of accent. Then again, it doesn't say how long he has lived in Raleigh so it's possible he is not a native. Edited November 11, 2005 by diamondjake2001

[bottlecap]

Hee. Ever get a little worried about having to explain your secret Clack stash to your family? I am imaging waking out of a coma, and having to try to make up a plausible reason why I have pictures on my hard drive titled "Emmysocks", "Eugenesocks", and "LAsocks".

And, crap, I hadn't even thought about trying to explain all those little slo-mo clips.....

[Ansamcw]

Hee.  Ever get a little worried about having to explain your secret Clack stash to your family?  I am imaging waking out of a coma, and having to try to make up a plausible reason why I have pictures on my hard drive titled "Emmysocks", "Eugenesocks", and "LAsocks". 

And, crap, I hadn't even thought about trying to explain all those little slo-mo clips.....

OMG...now you added something else for me to worry about...do I have to add something about Clack on my living will?

[Couch Tomato]

I actually introduced myself to Couch Tomato towards the end of the party, but I have no idea if she remembers me. I’m sure she was quite the busy lady during the evening! Anyway, couchie, if you happen to recall a short Asian-American woman in a red top and long black skirt who approached you after the raffles were done, that was me!

I do remember you....because you specifically mentioned the FCA forums. I know we have a ton of traffic on FCA - the website --but we're still a small forum community compared to most. I hope you come to the next event -- there are parties in the bay area every now and then and I'll make sure you know about them. And maybe we can spend some time chatting. I didn't get to do much of that. I pretty much "worked" the whole party and didn't really get to enjoy as a guest. I was SO worried about folks having a great time. So far I haven't heard any complaints. And yes - the food was delicious.

Loved the rest of your recap too!!

[bonniemeadow]

Thanks everyone for your nice comments about my recap. Oh how I wish I could go to more shows!

Hee.  Ever get a little worried about having to explain your secret Clack stash to your family?  I am imaging waking out of a coma, and having to try to make up a plausible reason why I have pictures on my hard drive titled "Emmysocks", "Eugenesocks", and "LAsocks". 

And, crap, I hadn't even thought about trying to explain all those little slo-mo clips.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I actually have worried about this, heh. I live alone so I don't normally have to worry about shielding clack from loved ones, but I've sometimes wondered what would happen if I were in an accident, leaving my family to go through all of my possessions. I mean, what will they think when they discover nearly 80 gigs of Clay audio/video on my hard drive? Yikes. They have no idea.

[bottlecap]

I actually have worried about this, heh.  I live alone so I don't normally have to worry about shielding clack from loved ones, but I've sometimes wondered what would happen if I were in an accident, leaving my family to go through all of my possessions.  I mean, what will they think when they discover nearly 80 gigs of Clay audio/video on my hard drive?  Yikes.  They have no idea.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's it in a nutshell. My sisters only know the very tip of the iceberg about the whole Clack stash deal. I can image what the look on their faces would be if they are settling my estate, and come across that sheet of Clay Aiken wrapping paper. At least they'll never know how much I paid for it, even on clearance. And they also don't need to know that the poster originally came from Singapore, or about the one to keep / one to lick rule of thumb for magazines.

Maybe I should amend my will to make sure my pins collection goes to someone who would adequately appreciate it....

__________________________

From the Denver Post:

"It's all still, to some extent, a little more surreal than it should be after 2 ½ years," he said. "To think that people talk about me when I'm not around, that people are sitting around the dinner table talking about me, that's strange. It's something I didn't expect in my life.

Well, not so much around the dinner table. How about online, with people from all over North America?

Some UNICEF commentary:

But it's not all about the money for Aiken. Ask him about the music and his life and he talks excitedly and assuredly. But ask him about his involvement with UNICEF - an organization he was mostly unfamiliar with until they approached him to be an educational ambassador - and his tone grows urgent.

"I don't know my world enough, I learned that, and I wanna know more about it," Aiken said of his trips to Indonesia and Uganda. "The people I'm surrounded by don't know their world enough. I'm not saying the problems (over there) outweigh the problems in the U.S., but people don't even know what's going on in their own country.

"In this position that I'm in now, I'm finding myself more willing to say something about it than being the passive and non-vocal person I had to be on that show. ... I'm not as worried about ruffling the feathers as I used to be."

Edited November 11, 2005 by bottlecap

[ldyjocelyn]

I actually have worried about this, heh.  I live alone so I don't normally have to worry about shielding clack from loved ones, but I've sometimes wondered what would happen if I were in an accident, leaving my family to go through all of my possessions.  I mean, what will they think when they discover nearly 80 gigs of Clay audio/video on my hard drive?  Yikes.  They have no idea.

I'm hoping that my husband will be around to take care of most of it -- and I think I've got him trained well enough that if anything happens to me, my Clay friends would divide the stash. If it's the rest of my family, though, that wouuld have to do this...it would all be trashed. *sniff*

But only 80 gigs on the hard drive? I honestly don't know what my family would think when they find my two external 120 gig drives, plus all the data disks I've burned, plus my 2 120 internal drives. And I'm thinking of picking up another external soon!

[diamondjake2001]

There is some good stuff in that Denver article. It sounds like the author wanted to dislike Clay but just couldn't.

Speaking of clack, fortunately my husband is very aware of how much clack I have. He even encourages me about it. He's been on a 3 week business trip to China so we've been aim'ing. He asked how the tour was going. I told him that I was drowning in clack. I guess I forgot I was talking to him. He laughed at the term drowning in clack & then told me to go buy another external drive. I currently have 500g internal & 200g external. I said that I didn't need another one quite yet. He's such a sweetie. Think I'll keep him.

[bottlecap]

Geez, diamondjake2001, your husband is not only a hawt drummer, but a Clack enabler, too? Does he have any single brothers?

[Couch Tomato]

Bonniemeadow I often wonder the same things. My family knows a lot..but they sure as hell don't know everything. Yeah, they'd see my stash and wonder if I was crazy.... got lots of duplicate stuff (which reminds me I think I owe bottlecap something). But lord, I hope they just wipe the computer clean and take it home heee. Don't know what they'd say if they found my EAYOR book mark.

Anyway, think I better start a trust account to pay for FCA after I cross over LOL- can't let all those links disappear into the great beyond.

[playbiller]

Heh, this is a funny conversation. I probably don't haveto worry about this because my sister has a bigger clack collection (I have one tupperware box, she has 2 or 3) than I do and a lot more autographs. The only problem is if we die together in a concert when the roof falls in and our families have to look through this stuff. They.will.not.understand. Now if our mother was still alive, she would have her own clack collection. Oh yeah, she has 2 external hard drives to my one.

Edited November 12, 2005 by playbiller

[Ansamcw]

Yup this is a funny conversation ...unfortunately, bad fan here. I only have 1 tupperware of clack and no external drives of great clack. Lot of data discs though. I have been a bit more selective with clack lately...but I think I will definitely need a new HD for the coming year. If this is clack on Clay's down cycle what will clack be like when the CD and the next pop concert comes...what about the international tour...I bet he does that next year...probably will need 400 GB...

EEEEEEEEEEEEE cannot wait!!!!!

[bottlecap]

First of all, hugs to all those who put so much time and effort into the whole pin thing. It really has been a lot of fun, even if I'm afraid to add up what I've spent on this little hobby. I'm sorry that people are feeling bad about the situation, and the following is just my feeble attempt to find some humor in it.

Second of all, this is just a silly little satire piece [cough*protected speech under the First Amendment*cough]. I can throw around some technical jargon [ipso facto, ergo, Ich bin ein Berliner], but most of my legal knowledge is based on vintage tv shows: Night Court, LA Law, Ally McBeal, etc., so don't be expecting any kind of accuracy here.

________________________________________________________

Our scene opens in an editing bay at the FCA Broadcasting Company. Special correspondent Diane S. [DS] and her Producer Dude [PD] are going over footage for a courtroom piece they are putting together for Deadline: FCA, the network's top rated news program. In an unusual move, instead of a true-life crime, the piece focuses on a civil trial - Aiken Enterprises vs. Polly Pinmaker.

PD: You know Diane, the network brass was a little hesitant to let you cover this story. You do have the reputation of being a little bit fangirly over the plaintiff, and if they knew you posted on the message boards as "MoonRiverLover", they would have assigned another reporter. You know Katie C. was campaigning for this story too....

DS: Pfffft to Katie. She posts as Elf4Clay, and she's a much bigger fangirl than me..... I mean, I am a much stronger reporter than she is. Besides, Clay and I have a connection. Need I remind you who got the first big sit-down interview?

PD: Okay. I've got a couple of questions about the some of the background on this case. It's unheard of for a Supreme Court Justice to hear a civil case like this. So just how did Ruth Bader-Ginsberg come to be the judge on this case?

DS: First of all, she now wants to be known as Ruth Bader; she seems to have dropped the Ginsberg. And secondly, I've heard some rumors that she and Sandra Day O'Conner might have had a little argument over who was going to hear the case. I haven't been able to get a source to go on the record, but apparently there was a scuffle in the ladies locker room in the Supreme Court building. My informant swears Judge O'Conner has an unexplained gavel-shaped goose egg on the side of her head.

PD: Arrgh, anonymous sources. I'm not willing to pull a Judith Miller over this story, so we won't focus on that aspect right now. Do you have the script for your opening voiceover? Three, two, one......

DS in newscaster mode: Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse, Ronald McDonald. These are iconic images in our culture, and the ownership of these images has been the subject of much litigation in the past. In our story, we look at another budding icon facing that same quandary: Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

PD: CUT! Diane, we talked about this before. You almost blasted the eardrums off the sound tech with that squeal. Fortunately, I think we can edit that out, and salvage the take. Let's start with the next line. Three, two, one...

DS: Tonight, Deadline: FCA takes you inside the court room, as the lanky, red-headed pop star defends his the ownership of his image. 19E Sucks! Bite me Simon!

PD: Cut! [Heavy sigh] Again, Diane, you need to keep your editorial comments to yourself if you want to appear to be impartial. Now, what do you think of this clip we have to play in the background of your intro. It's footage from Aiken's summer tour; something about a jukebox and standing on a piano....

DS: Black Leather jacket! Tight pants! EEEEEEEEEE! [Coughs] Yes, I think that would be a good choice.

PD: Moving on... We need to talk about this footage your crew shot outside of the courtroom. Could you not get the defendant Polly Pinmaker to say anything other than: "But I Luurrve Him" over and over again?

DS: Sorry, she just seemed to be in a haze about the whole thing. Frankly, I've seen that look before, and I think she might be a Clack addict.

PD: Okay, know let's take a look at the video of your interview of Aiken on the courthouse steps.

DS: Sigh. He's soooo dreamy... I mean, yes, let's review the tape.

In the footage, Diane is seen greeting Clay with a lingering hug, and seems reluctant to step back until it appears Jerome might intervene. DS: "So Clay, how do you feel about this case?" Bess Rosenbud, Clay's lawyer, stops Clay from speaking, stating firmly: "Mr. Aiken can't comment on the specifics of the case." Clay: "Sorry, Diane." [Winks] Diane's knees appear to buckle at this point, and even the camera wavers a bit. The camera operator's lens [cough*spotlightlover*cough] follows the passage of the entourage up the courthouse steps, and catches some interesting footage of Aiken's back, with a strategic close-up shot.

PD: Diane, stop licking the monitor - you'll electrocute yourself, and this equipment is expensive. I think we need to take a break and come back to this later.

DS: He's so dreamy....Sigh.

End of Part One. You can stop scrolling for the time being.